For Brandon Becker, taking over as head coach of the Marquette Catholic High hockey team in 2010 meant taking over a team loaded with. A year later, he and assistant coach and former Roxana and SIUE teammate Daniel Guarino led the Explorers to the Promised Land - the Mississippi Valley Club Hockey association 1A championship.

"I guess there was some pressure, especially since we were so young," Becker said. "The team was and so were we as coaches."

Becker and Guarino, both 24 and former SIUE and Roxana High teammates, have enjoyed championships as players and wanted to help lead that Marquette talent to a crown.

"I have been with Daniel as a player and coach for 14 years," said Becker. "We knew this team had a lot of potential and by the end of the season, they showed it."

Indeed. The Explorers finished in a virtual tie for the MVCHA West Division championship, but had to settle for second place on a tie-breaker. But once the postseason got under way, there was no stopping them.

Marquette went unbeaten in postseason play and swept Bethalto in the West finals and then did the same thing to Collinsville.

"This was a great group of players," Becker said. "We're losing just two from this group to graduation, but they are two exceptional players who will be hard to replace - Danny Selby and Ethan Gowin."